Page 9 of Bannerless (The Bannerless Saga 1)

“What was he doing when he hit his head?” Enid asked.

“Working. He was in his workshop,” Philos answered.

“You’re sure no one saw him?”

“I . . . we . . . we don’t know. We’re not sure.”

“Do you know who saw him alive last?” Enid asked. She spread the question around. The second man, Lee, hadn’t spoken yet, merely nodded or shaken his head in agreement with the others. Ariana looked like she wanted to speak, but not if it meant interrupting Philos. She watched him closely, as if waiting for cues.

“Ariana?” Enid prompted.

Again, she set her expression. Steeling herself. “No. Sero . . . Sero was a bit of a loner. We don’t know who might have seen him.”

They’d had almost four days to get their story in order. Enid would have to keep asking the same questions until something slipped out. Question them again, separately. She’d have to find out where he lived, who interacted with him regularly, if the dead man had been acting strangely.

“I understand you submitted the investigation request, Ariana?”

She started to speak, but Philos interrupted. “She did so against the recommendation of the rest of the committee.” Lee seemed to be biting his lips, not looking up, not willing to stand with Philos’s declaration. Ariana glared at them both, and Enid wondered if Lee had assured the committeewoman that he agreed with requesting an investigation, just as he agreed with Philos about not requesting one. Philos continued, “It was an accident and not worth the time or effort of an investigation.”

“Always worth the effort, if the truth is under debate,” Enid said. “Pasadan won’t be penalized for the wasted time, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

His mouth pressed shut, his gaze shadowed. He was worried about something else. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tomas standing by, listening close.

Enid said, “Ariana, how quickly after Sero died did you send the request?”

“I . . . I’m not really sure, because we’re not really sure when he died. He might have been there some time. But once he was found . . . not long, a couple of hours. We were just all so shocked; it just seemed so odd.”

“The committee could have handled it. Should have handled it,” Philos said. He and Ariana glared at each other, across Lee, who looked like he’d rather be somewhere else.

This sounded like Ariana went behind the others’ backs.

“There wasn’t much discussion about it between you, then?”

“Oh, there was some,” Ariana said.

“It was loud

,” Lee added. His voice was deep, which Enid hadn’t expected.

Philos turned to Ariana, his jaw stiff and lips puckered. He either wanted to spit or swear. And how many secret conversations had been going on between these people over the last several days? Sending for investigators was an end run around the debate, then. Dissent within Pasadan’s committee. This was already more complicated than Enid had hoped.

“I’d like to have a look at the workshop where he died. And I understand the body is still available?”

“Is that really necessary?” Philos asked.

“Philos, please, no trouble!” Lee hissed, reaching out then flinching back, as if he’d tried to touch fire. They were treating the man like he was cracked glass that might shatter.

Philos turned on him in a silent reprimand, glaring. Enid had a memory of children fighting.

At the moment, Enid didn’t like Philos. He seemed to be the kind of person who liked being in charge, who liked being the first to know things and didn’t like being left out, and who didn’t much like parties.

“I don’t know if it’s necessary or not,” Enid said brightly. “But I’d rather look and find out it’s not needed than skip it when it is. We’ll go look at the body first, then look at where he died, and figure out what we need to do next, if anything. All right?”

“How long do you think this will take? Until we get this all cleared up? I just—it’s my job to protect this village. I don’t want any unnecessary disruption.” Philos suddenly seemed aware of the bad impression he was making.

“The disruption has already occurred, sir,” she replied. She caught Tomas twitching a smile at that.

Ariana led them out to the street. Philos and Lee followed, the former tense with anger, the latter deferential. Tomas kept a respectful distance, looking them all over. The trio kept glancing at him over their shoulders.

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